A high credit score is like a homemade meal; it takes time, patience, and cannot be whipped up instantly. Let’s look at the recipe to build a great credit score from scratch:

First, you need to have the ingredient of credit. People who don’t have any credit are not showing the credit scoring model their financial management skills. A credit card, home loan, or car note is a main ingredient in the credit score recipe. Remember: you are not required to carry a credit card balance. Using a credit card will help build your credit even if you pay it in full every month.

Second, make sure you pay a lot of attention. Pay those credit obligations on time, because timely payment is the single most important aspect of building a good credit score. You can gain lots of points by having a good history of on time payment, and, conversely, you can spoil your credit score with just a few missed or late payment patterns.

Third, keep those credit card balances low. Credit card balances are like salt, less is more. The credit scoring model looks at your credit card balance in relation to your credit limit (this is called a credit utilization ratio). The lower the ratio, the more positively it affects your credit score. Make sure to never charge over 30% of your total credit limit, because you don’t want to get penalized.

Fourth, keep those old credit cards open and use them every now and then. You will get points for a long, lengthy credit history.

Fifth, don’t add too many ingredients all at once. If you don’t have any credit and are just starting out, don’t open too many credit cards too fast. One line of credit every year or so will work out great.

Sixth, remember to have more than one ingredient, if possible. The scoring model likes to see that a person can manage a mix of credit. Having installment loans (mortgage or car) and revolving loans (credit cards) will give a boost to your score.

Seventh, keep an eye on it. Check your credit report at least once a year and examine it carefully. Make sure there aren’t any errors (such as creditors that you don’t recognize, late payments or collections reporting incorrectly, etc). This happens all the time, and the sooner you catch it, the better off you will be. Dispute any incorrect information to get it removed.

Attaining a great credit score takes a little time, self discipline, and attention. However, putting in the effort will assure that you can get the best deals on mortgage, auto, and credit card rates. Following the recipe we just laid out is a great start to help you cook up a great credit score!

~~Susan McCullah is the Product Development Director for Data Facts, a 23 year old Memphis-based company. Data Facts provides mortgage product and banking solutions to lenders nationwide. Check our our website for a complete explanation of our services.

Most people are aware of the big actions that can cause your credit score to take a tumble: filing bankruptcy, having an account sent to collections,or being foreclosed upon. However, these are not the only actions that can decrease your credit score. Here are some other mistakes a consumer can make with their credit. While not ‘major offenders’, these 5 missteps can still prohibit you from joining the credit elite.

Maxing out your credit card.

The balance to limit ratio is almost as important as paying your bills on time, accounting for 30% of your credit score. A good rule of thumb is to never charge over 30% of your credit limit. This means if you have a total of $10,000 as the limit on your credit cards, you should never have a balance greater than $3,000.

Consumers who think they are managing their finances wisely by only having one credit card, but are using over 30% of the limit are actually HURTING their credit score.

Missing a payment

Just one 30 day late payment can drop your credit score significantly. Payment history is the single most important factor in the calculation of your credit score, at 35%.

A consumer who has no late payments on their credit history is gaining lots of points for their positive usage! One late pay can change all that. It is possible for a good credit score to drop 80 points with just one 30 day late.

Whether you sign up for automatic payments through your bank, get an app that reminds you, or write the date your bills are due on your calendar, pay those bills on time!

Not checking your credit report.

It is estimated that over a third of credit reports contain some sort of error. These bits of erroneous information can be accounts showing late that were actually not late, collections that should have never gone into collections, or accounts that are not even yours!

By not checking your credit report, these errors linger on your credit history and can cause your score to take a dive. Be sure you are checking your credit report at least once a year. Review all accounts, balances, and payment history. Make certain to follow up on any information that looks erroneous, and get it removed from your report by filing a dispute.

Co-signing a loan.

Sure, you want to be a good friend, neighbor, cousin, brother, etc. and help obtain a line of credit your loved one cannot qualify for on their own. However, becoming a co-signer on a loan for someone else is really asking for trouble. If the borrower does not pay on time or at all, you are responsible for the loan.

The loan will also show up on your credit report and be factored into your credit score. If the borrower is paying late, all those late pays will show up on your credit report, affecting your credit score in a very negative fashion. And once that happens, there is nothing you can do about it.

The scariest part of all is that this can happen without your knowledge. Co-signers rarely receive a copy of the bill, so they would not be made aware of the issue until the account was in a default status.

The best advice on this one is: Just say NO!

Closing an old credit card

15% of a person’s credit score is their length of credit history. Credit cards are factored in by the age of the oldest account, and the average age of all the accounts.

Look at this example. Say you have 4 credit cards. The oldest is one you opened in college, 22 years ago. The others you have had 15 years, 9 years, and one you just opened 2 years ago. Currently, the oldest account is 22 years old, and the average age of the accounts is 12 years. If you close the oldest account, that changes the oldest account to 15 years, and the average age of the accounts decreases to 8 years. This change in credit history can cause a decrease in your credit score.

The best idea would be to keep the old credit card, and use it a few times a year to make sure it is positively factored into your credit score.

It’s obvious to guard against bankruptcy, foreclosures, and collections. Also make it a top priority to put measures in place to make sure you don’t make any of these small credit mistakes either. Your credit score will thank you for it!

~~Susan McCullah is the Product Development Director for Data Facts, a 23 year old Memphis-based company that provides mortgage product and banking solutions to lenders nationwide. Check our our website for a complete explanation of our services.

To all you consumers who pay your credit card balances in full every month; good for you!

Not carrying a balance on a credit card is one of the best financial maneuvers you can make for yourself. This ensures that you won’t rack up expensive finance charges, nor will you find yourself deep in credit card debt.

However, if you are using your credit cards, your credit report may still show a balance, even if you pay it in full.
What??
The answer is simple. Creditors only report and bureaus (Experian, Transunion, and Equifax) only update your accounts once a month, but not necessarily on the first of the month.

For example:
You charge $2000 on your Visa. The bureaus may have updated their records on the 25th. You pay it in full on the 1st of the month. If you pulled your credit report before the bureaus updated again, the $2000 balance would show up on your credit report and impact your credit score.
Now remember, balances make up 30% of your credit score, so this little process could cost you lots of points if you don’t manage it beforehand.

Here are 3 points to remember:
–know your limit. Your credit card limit is an important piece of knowledge when managing your credit score. Be sure you are aware of the limit of each and every credit card in your possession.-keep the ratio low. Never at any time charge more than 30% of your credit card limit. This is known as ‘credit utilization’. If you have a Mastercard with a $10,000 limit, never at any time should you have a balance greater than $3,000. Charging more than this could decrease your credit score. If you need to charge more than 30% throughout the month, it is better to increase your credit limit or charge it on more than one credit card, thereby keeping the credit utilization low.-remember there is no way to know when creditors report to the bureaus. Creditors send their consumer information to the bureaus at different times throughout the month, so there is no set time that your credit report will ‘update’.Paying your credit card balance in full every month is fabulous for your financial (and mental) health. Taking these extra steps and managing your balances throughout the month will help you greatly in maintaining the very best credit score available to you.

~~Susan McCullah is the Product Development Director for Data Facts, a 22 year old Memphis-based company that provides mortgage product solutions to lenders nationwide.